TY - JOUR T1 - Occlusion of chest drain bottle air outlet JF - Thorax JO - Thorax SP - 585 LP - 585 DO - 10.1136/thx.56.7.585-b VL - 56 IS - 7 AU - J A CORLESS AU - M BARBORES AU - S DONOGHUE AU - M G PEARSON AU - R W COSTELLO Y1 - 2001/07/01 UR - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/56/7/585.3.abstract N2 - Treatment of a pneumothorax often requires insertion of an intercostal chest drain. Usually the tube is connected to an underwater seal which acts as a one way valve, allowing air to escape from the pleural space and thereby preventing the development of a tension pneumothorax. We wish to highlight the case of a patient who developed a potentially life threatening problem resulting from the partial occlusion of a chest drain bottle air outlet port by a plastic cap supplied with the equipment.A 60 year old man with COPD developed a large right pneumothorax. Aspiration was unsuccessful so a chest drain was inserted. This was connected … ER -